Dhaka:State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam highlighted the critical role of regional cooperation in Bangladesh's foreign policy, asserting that differences among nations should not obstruct shared interests.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Shama Obaed stressed the importance of fostering regional peace and stability through expanded trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, and collective action on transnational challenges. She highlighted Bangladesh's focus on revitalizing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as a platform for dialogue and development.
Bangladesh also aims to deepen practical cooperation through the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Economic diplomacy remains a central pillar, with a commitment to transforming diplomatic engagements into economic opportunities via trade, investment, and international partnerships.
Shama Obaed outlined Bangladesh's foreign policy priorities, which include investment promotion, migration diplomacy, climate justice, multilateralism, and resolving the Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh seeks to engage globally based on mutual respect and shared interests, while maintaining strategic autonomy in decision-making.
The State Minister detailed Bangladesh's efforts to expand partnerships worldwide, explore new cooperation avenues, and advance workers' welfare through proactive migration diplomacy. The government is committed to protecting migrant workers' rights and expanding employment opportunities abroad.
Shama Obaed reaffirmed multilateralism's role in Bangladesh's foreign policy, emphasizing the United Nations' importance and the need for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh is working with international partners to ensure the safe and dignified return of displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar.
The seminar, organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, examined how Bangladesh can navigate foreign policy amid shifting geopolitical realities, emphasizing economic resilience and strategic autonomy. Participants included senior officials, diplomats, academics, and business leaders, who discussed aligning foreign policy with national interests and contemporary challenges.